Heating means for mineral oils.



W. P. STRQTHER,

HEATING MEANS FOR MINERAL OILS.

APPLICATIDM mm ram. 12. 1M9v 1 ,32 6,61 8.. kat'euted me. :50, mm.

imme/141mm ell EYEATIIN Millie Z10 aZZ whom may nonsense:

it known that l WILLIAM P. S'rnotrnnn s ci izen of the United *Eitetes, residing at Wirt, in the county of Carter end fo tete oi? Uhlehemo, have invented certain new and useful. improvements in Heat ing Means for Mineral Qils, or" which the following is specification, referenoe being" had to the accompanying drawings This invention relates to certain improve ments inv heating means for mineral oils, s'ntl. it is on object of the invention to pro vide novel. and inipioved means whereby the oil at a point in how between the Well end. n settling; tsnh liested so that the percentage of hot settlings B, S.) Within the oil when tested is materially reclnoecli is also on object oil? the invention to QTQVlilB :i' novel and improved heating means oi? this genera} character Consisting; of on enlor ed clnunher or container intei posed in the pipe line at a point substantially midway between. the Well and the settlii'ig tank, together with e, hosting fine disposed through the chamber or container and wherein the intake for the chamber or container is at the bottom there-oi and the discharge therefrom at the top of; the ehsinher or coi'itziin er.

.Zlnother object of the invention is to provide 21. novel and in'iproved heating means of this general character embodying an enlarged chamber or container inter-- posed in the pipe line with an upward flow throueh the chamber or container and Whi cm the capacity of the chamber or oonhainer is in excess of the quantity of oil flowing through the chamber or container Within a certain period of time together with a, heating: medium associated with said chamber or container:

An additional object of the invention is to provide :1 novel and improved heating means oi this characterembodying; an enlarged clnni'ibor or container interposed, in the pipe linen and irhcrein said chamber or container is in comn'ninicntion with the settling! tank so that upon decrease of the suppl v from the well to the chmnher or container oil Will be supplied to the come her or container from the settling: iilllll? so that said container or cheinher is prevented Speeialoetien e2: nettore from becoming dry und r the in the heating ins-ens enacting her or container.

The invention consists in the details of construction and. in the coi'nbinetion and on rzmgement of the several parts of my iniproved heating means for mineral. oils whereby certain important advantages are etteined end. the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more oonven- 1ent zincl advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will. hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention inny he the better understood, if will now proceed to describe the some with reference to the seoornpeuying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is :1 diagrammatic view in side elovation.v illustrating the heating means constructed in accordance with en embodiment of invention; and

Fig. is an enlarged. longitudinal sec-- tionel view taken through the proper as herein disclosed.

As disclosed in the accompanying drewings, 8 denotes a settling tank which has in connnnni mtion therewith through the top s pipe line L leading from it Well. The pipe line extends Within the tank S and terminates in close proximity to the bottom thereof. Also in communication with the tank S at the top is a discharge line D lead ing to a suitable storage tank or thelilre.

interposed in the line L and in practice substantially. midway between the tnnh: 5i and the Well is an enlarged chamber or container C with the intake 1 of the container being adjacent the bottom of the container at one end and the discharge 2 being at the top ofthe container and at the opposite end. thereof.

Disposed longitudinally through the chamher or container C and at a point slightly below its center is a flue 3 leading from it suitable heating unit U. V

in communication with the chamber or container C at the upper portion of the receiving end thereof is a valve controlled pipe 4l,- and which affords moons whereby oil may be drawn from Within the chamber or container C for the purpose of fuel in the event the gas line coasting with the unit communication therewith adjacent the hot- U should be out of commission. In communioation with the chamber or container C through the top thereof and adjacent the discharge end of the chamber or container is a blow-off 5 which functions in the event the oil within the chamber or container C should be heated to an excessive temperature.

The discharge end of the chamber or container C adjacent the bottom thereof is pro- I vided with a valve controlled drain pipe 6 so that the settlings within the chamber or container C may be drawn off when required.

In practice, after the chamber or con-- tainer C has been completely filled, the heating unit U is placed in operation and the heat passin through the fine 3 brings the oil within t e chamber or container C to a temperature to facilitate the continued flow of the oil through the line L to the tank S. It is preferred that the capacity of the chamber or container C be substantially fifty pct cent. in excess of the quantity of oil flowing from the chamber or container C in one hour. For example, if the well is making 100 bbls. per day, the amount of oil passing through the heater per hour is substantially 5 bbls., and consequently the chamber or container C will have a capacity of substantially 71} bbls. vIn view of this the oil passing through the chamber or container 0 will be subjected to the action of the heat substantially 1% hours.

The chamber or container C is maintained full of oil at all times so that there is no space above the oil within the chamber or container for the accumulation of gas, thus eliminatin all danger of explosion. The heating 0 .the oil within the chamber or container facilitates the flow of the oil throu h the' line L into the tank S. It will also obvious that with my improved heater positioned as hereinbefore explained there is no danger of fire, as the oil is confined in the line L and the heat from the flue 3 is hundreds of yards away from any tank.

As the oil is delivered from the line L adjacent the bottom of the tank S the separation of the B. S. from the oil begins. The heated oiland gasolene makes its way to the top of the tank S and passes out through the dlscharge line D to a storage tank or the like wherein it is tested. With my improved heating means it has often been found, in practice that the test shows less than one per cent. B. S. whereby the value of the product is materially increased.

. In communication with the pipe line L is a pipe line 7 leading to the tank S and in tom thereof, and interposed in the line 7 is a check'8 which is normally maintained closed by the pressure of the oil passing through the pipe line L and which pressure is created through the medium of the pump, not shown, generally employed.

\Vith the pump in proper operation the check 8 is maintained closed and the oil properly flows through the container or chamber C but in the event the prexure of the oil within the pipe line L should materially reduce, as in the event the pump should break down or otherwise stop, the pressure of oil within the tank S will force the check valve 8 into open position, which permits the oil within the tank S to return to the chamber or container C to maintain the same filled, so that said chamber or container will not burn dry under the influence of the heating unit U. The point of communicationof the line 7 with the pipe line L is at a point between the chamber or container 0 and the check valve 9 and which check valve. operates .to prevint a retrograde flow through the pipe line From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a heating means for mineral oils constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it ma be asembled and operated, and it will also obvious that my invention is susceptible-of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, ,andfor this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of 'the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except'as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

.1. In combination with a pipe line discharging within a settling tank, an enlarged chamber interposed within the line, heating means associated with the chamber, said chamber being entirely filled with the oil flowing therethrough, a line leading from the lower portion of the settling tank to the pipe line at a point in advance of the chamber and a check valve interposed within said last named line and maintained closed by the pressure of the oil passing through the pipe line, said check valve opening under the infiuenceof the pressure of the oil within the chamber upon substantial reduction of .the pressure of the oil in the pipe line.

1ine,said check valve opening mder the pres- In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my sure of the oil Within the i'haxmber upon subsignature in the presence of two witnesses. stantial reduction of the ressure of the oil *1 in the pipe line, the inta e to the chamber WILLIAM STROTHLR' being adjacent the bottom thereof and the Witnesses:

v discharge therefrom being adjacent the top ED DRESSER,

of the ehambei. I F. PENNINGTON. 

